Challenge: Build your own NBA Team

[pja123]

The cap is going to be set somewhere in the realm of $55 to 58 million dollars. For this scenario, let's say the cap is set at $57 million.

Challenge: Build your own NBA team (12 active players) and stay at or under the salary cap. You have free reign to select any and all players currently in the NBA (that means no draft picks like Derrick Rose).

Use the 2008-2009 salaries from this site:
http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm


For free agents, sign them to realistic deals. For example, if you put Luol Deng on your team and say he signed for the mid-level exception, you've lost all credibility.

In addition, try and be as realistic as possible. Remember, you want to build the best team.


Here's my team...

Starting five:
PG-Chris Paul - 4,574,189
SG-LeBron James - 14,410,581
SF-Shane Battier - 6,373,900
PF-LaMarcus Aldridge - 4,631,400
C-Dwight Howard - 13,041,250

Bench:
Nate Robinson - 2,020,178
Joakim Noah - 2,295,480
Travis Outlaw - 4,000,000
Rodney Stuckey - 1,687,320
Carl Landry - 711,517
Brandon Bass - 826,269
Leon Powe - 797,581

TOTAL: 55,369,665



-This was a lot more difficult than I anticipated. I originally had Kobe on my team but he ate up way too much of my cap (at least so I could keep Dwight as well), so I opted for LeBron instead.

I think my starting five is extremely formidable. I have my inside-outside combo in Bron and Dwight, and that's not even mentioning Paul and Aldridge. Battier is my glue guy. He'll do the little things and play great defense.

The bench is solid. It features a lot of guys who hustle and work hard night in and night out.

[ajbry]

STARTING LINEUP
PG - Chris Paul ($4,574,189)
SG - Manu Ginobili ($9,900,000)
SF - Stephen Jackson ($7,140,000)
PF - Tim Duncan ($20,598,703)
C - Andrew Bynum ($2,769,300)

BENCH
Rodney Stuckey ($1,687,320)
DeShawn Stevenson ($3,616,071)
Linas Kleiza ($1,824,493)
Jamario Moon ($711,517)
Carl Landry ($711,517)
Paul Millsap ($797,581)
Sean Williams ($1,522,920)

TOTAL SALARY: $55,853,611

[chrice]

CP3 - 4.575M
Roy -3.1 M
Artest - 8.45M
Jefferson - 11M
Howard - 13M

Rondo - 1.65M
Gay - 2.6M
Grant Hill - 1.975M
Lamarcus Aldridge - 4.63M
Bynum - 2.8M

Total: 53.75M - 54M
Didn't use any RFAs or Bird Rights players, because I think using the qualifying offer salaries isn't fair for this.

All your bench are belong to me.

[BlackMamba12]

Starters:
C Andrew Bynum 2,769,300

PF Al Horford 4,026,720

SF Lebron James 14,410,581

SG Kobe Bryant 19,490,625

PG Chris Paul 4,574,189

45,271,415
Bench Mob
C Greg Oden 5,011,680

F Paul Milsap 797,581
G Sasha Vujacic 2,605,559
G Jordan Farmar 1,080,000
G Rajon Rondo 1.646.787
F Josh Boone 1,212,120
12,353,727


Kobe, LeBron, Paul, Bynum, Oden= Thats basically (along with a few others )the "Untouchables" in the league right now.
I might be wrong but i dont think there could be a better team assembled with these guidelines

[ajbry]

Your starters are awesome, no doubt, but your bench would be pretty poor IMO. And I don't see Oden accepting a bench role either.

[Liqourish]

STARTING LINEUP:

C: Al Horford $4,026,720
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge $4,631,400
SF: Tayshaun Prince $9,500,000
SG: Dwyane Wade $14,410,581
PG: Brandon Roy $3,084,240
---------------------------------
Total Starting Salary= $35,652,941

Starting lineup is anchored by Wade and Prince. Two champions who know what it takes to win and are still young enough to grow with the team. Wade is paired with Roy in the backcourt, both can handle the ball, both can score. Aldridge and Horford hold down the paint with their energetic young legs. Prince defends the perimeter and spaces the floor.

BENCH:

Emeka Okafor $7,082,635 (Qualifying Offer)
David Lee $1,788,033
Danny Granger $2,329,804
Andre Iguodala $3,800,625 (Qualifying Offer)
Rodney Stuckey $1,687,320
Bonzi Wells $2,284,200
Kyle Lowry $1,163,520
------------------------------------
Total Bench Salary=$20,136,137

The bench has a nice mix of young guards who can play two way basketball and some nice rebounding big man. Pretty much everyone on the bench can play multiple positions and none are weak defensively.

Total Team Salary=$55,789,078

I tried to mix it up with longer and shorter contracts so that I didn't have to re-sign everyone at once and have room to make mid-season trades with my expiring contracts if need be.

[Bucs80]

Starting Line:
PG: Chris Paul (4,574,189)
SG: Brandon Roy (3,084,240)
SF: Shane Battier (6,373,900)
PF: Rasheed Wallace (13,680,000)
C: Dwight Howard (13,041,250)

= 40,753,579

Bench:
Jason Maxiell (1,887,572)
Jose Calderon (6,000,000)
Brent Barry (1,262,000)
Kurt Thomas (2,000,000)
Trevor Ariza ( 2,911, 600)

= 14,061,172

Total = 54,814,751

3 Million for a Party

[T-Spot]

Rondo [$1,646,784]
Roy [$3,084,240]
LeBron [$14,410,581]
Bosh [$14,410,581]
Ming [$15,070,550]

[~48.4 Million]

Sessions [$711,517]
Moon [$711,517]
Carl Landry [711,517]
Nick Young [$1,602,960]
Al Thornton [$1,776,240]
Noah [2,295,480 ]
Davis [$711,517]

This team has arguable the best front court in the NBA, and with two guys who are capable of handling the rock in LeBron and Roy, a true point-guard is not needed, and replaced by a defensive minded player in Rondo. The team doesn't have much three-point ability but has a good variety of mid-range shooters [Everyone on the team], paint-scoring [Bosh and Yao], slashers [Rondo, Roy and LeBron] and face-up players [Bosh, LeBron, Roy].

The bench consists of the best bargains [salary/talent] in the league and are has a mix of defensive minded players [Moon, Landry, Noah] and explosive scorers [Young, Thornton].


Final Pay Roll = ~55.1 Million

[randomhero423]

PG Chris Paul $4,574,189
SG Brandon Roy $3,084,240
SF Shane Battier $6,373,900
PF Pau Gasol $13,709,375
C Marcus Camby $8,000,000

Bench:
PG: Rajon Rondo $1,646,784
SG: Grant Hill $1,976,400
SF: Ron Artest $8,450,000
PF: David Lee $1,788,033
C: Emeka Okafor $7,082,635

Best team ever.

[CBS7]

Rookie contracts does makes it much easier.

[LiquidFire]

PG: Paul
SG: Roy
SF: Lebron
PF: Jefferson
CC: Howard

Bench:
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Dwayne wade
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Chris Bosh
CC: Emeka Okafor



I think i just won

[randomhero423]

let's see the math.

[j-ragg]

Let's see someone do it without rookie contracts.

[psyclone1982]

Based on Defense winning Championships (and because defenders donn't get paid as much)

C Marcus Camby 8000000
PF Rasheed Wallace 13680000
SF Shane Battier 6373900
SG Raja Bell 5000000
PG Chauncey Billups 11050000

C PJ Brown 474285
PF Reggie Evans 4640000
SF Grant Hill 1976400
SG Janero Pargo 2000000
PG Ramon Sessions 711517

NA Brent Barry 1262000
NA Dikembe Mutombo 1262000
Salary Cap 57000000
Cap Remaining 569898


Not sure if Sessions is considered a Rookie contract, wouldn't have a clue, if he is replace him with a Sam Cassell vets minimum.

Dikembe and PJ to spell camby at C, rasheed can play 42minutes per game with Reggie spelling him, Grant Hill and Pargo are both more than capable subs and brent barry can knock down some shots and shoot some FT'a when we need him.

No rookie contracts and not a bad team, good luck scoring.

[longfellow44]

PG Tony Parker 11,550,000
SG Kevin Martin 9,260,335
SF Lebron James 14,410,581
PF Al Horford 4,026,720
C Andrew Bynum 2,769,300

Bench

PG Antonio Daniels 6,200,000
SG Marco Bellinelli 1,446, 720
SF Kyle Korver 4,773,927
PF Brandon Wright 2,200,000
C Spencer Hawes 2,180,760


$ 58,818,343 08-09


I am a little over on the total cap for this team but I think this team is set to win championships from now until 10 years from now. The team is based of of the philosophy that being efficient is a good thing and that high energy is a very good thing and spacing is the most important thing.

[KyleCleric]

PG: Chris Paul
SG: Deron Williams/Brandon Roy/Ime Udoka
SF: Lebron James/Rudy Gay
PF: Lamarcus Aldridge/Al Horford/ Paul Millsap/Leon Powe
C: Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum

Lebron James: $14,410,581
Dwight Howard: $13,041,250
Deron Williams: $5,069,448
Lamarcus Aldridge: $4,631,400
Chris Paul: $4,574,189
Al Horford: $4,026,720
Brandon Roy: $3,084,240
Andrew Bynum: $2,769,300
Rudy Gay: $2,579,400
Ime Udoka: $1,080,000
Paul Millsap: $797,581
Leon Powe: $797,581

= $56,861,690

4 top 10 players, several stars on the bench as well as decent role players. I had hoped to have 5 starters in my top 30, but couldn't get Al Jefferson or David West into the PF spot without dropping Chris Paul. In the end I figured Paul, Aldridge, and Horford is a better combo than Rondo, Moon, and Jefferson (or West). The only other situation would have been to drop Lebron James in favor of Caron Butler, but I figured that James with a weaker PF would be better than Butler and a stronger PF.

[Nolan]

Starters

PG Chris Paul $4,574,189
SG Brandon Roy $3,084,240
SF Tayshaun Prince $8,675,620
PF Mehmet Okur $9,000,000
C Dwight Howard $13,041,250

Bench

PG Derek Fisher $4,352,000
PG/SG Sasha Vujacic $1,756,951
SF Linas Kleiza $1,011,360
SF/PF Walter Herrmann $1,944,000
C Anderson Varejao 5,356,000
SF Ime Udoka $1,000,000
C Aaron Gray $427,163

Total Cap: $58,796,962

Paul and Roy both have the ability to create opportunitites off the dribble for themselves and for others both are also decent defenders and togehter they make up an almost unstoppable back court. Prince brings defense, outside shooting and experience to the table he takes the pressure off of Roy and Paul on defense and allows them to foucs on offense. Okur stretches out the defense and creates room for Howard to operate on offense he also takes alot of the pressure off of Howard on defense with his very solid post defense. Dwight Howard dominates the paint on both ends and with two good passers in the back court and two good shooters in the front court with him he should have no problem dominating on offense. Then bench doesn't not have alot of talent but it has alot of shooters, hustle players and some very veristale players that give this team alot of options. I'm a little over the cap but hey its only 800,000 thousand.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Guards

Chris Paul $4,574,189
Deron Williams $5,069,449
Brandon Roy $3,084,240
Rajon Rondo $1,315,080

Forwards

Lebron James $14,410,581
Jamario Moon $711,517
Luis Scola $3,150,000
David Lee $1,788,033


Centers

Dwight Howard $13,041,250
Al Horford $4,026,700

That's only $51,171,039. A team could easily combine the remaining salary with Scola and Lee for a guy like David West at PF but with all the ball domination that the backcourt would provide I'm not so sure that would be an ideal scenario. IT would probably be better to just swap out David Lee for Udonis Haslem or something like that.

[fivas14]

Starters

PG - Deron Williams ($5,069,448)
SG - Rudy Gay ($2,579,400)
SF - Corey Maggette ($8,840,000)
PF - Amare Stoudemire ($15,070,550)
C - Andrew Bogut ($6,294,306)

Bench

PG - Rajon Rondo ($1,646,784)
SG - Kevin Durant ($4,484,040)
SF - Al Thorton ($1,776,240)
PF - Paul Milsap ($797,581)
C - Andrew Bynum ($2,769,300)
SG - JR Smith ($2,329,517)
PF - Yi Jianlian ($2,986,080)

Total Salary Used = $51,324,626

[ponder276]

Let's see someone do it without rookie contracts.

I'll try this without rookie contracts, and only using players who are actually under contract for next season (note that I have Jamario Moon, who is a rookie, but he was signed as a FA, and is not on a true rookie contract):

PG - Tony Parker ($11,550,000), Travis Diener ($1,620,000)
SG - Bruce Bowen ($4,000,000), Brent Barry ($1,262,000)
SF - Hidayet Turkoglu ($6,864,200), Grant Hill ($1,976,400), Jamario Moon ($711,517)
PF - David West ($9,862,500), Chris Mihm ($2,500,000)
C - Dwight Howard ($13,041,250), Didier Ilunga-Mbenga ($1,971,041), Adonal Foyle ($1,262,275)

Total: $56.62 million

That team is, in my opinion, the best team in the league. Dwight/West/Hedo is easily the best frontcourt in the league, and Parker/Bowen is a great backcourt. On offense you get decent 3-shooting from Hedo and Bowen, great midrange shooting from Parker West and Hedo, great slashing from Parker and Hedo, and great post scoring from Dwight and West. On defense you have a great defensive center (Dwight), a great wing defender (Bowen), a great defender at the point (Parker), and solid defenders at PF and SF (West and Hedo), so this team is extremely solid defensively as well. Having guys like Hill, Moon, Barry and Diener coming off the bench is not bad as well.

It's tough to do this without rookie contracts, and only with currently signed players, because:
a) All teams have players on rookie contracts, and rookie contracts are very cheap
b) Most scrub/filler players (11th and 12th men type) are signed to super-cheap 1-year deals, so they're all FAs in 08/09 at the moment

If I could use players currently unsigned in 08/09, I'd sign 3 cheap scrubs instead of my 3 backup bigs, and use the savings to upgrade Bowen to Battier.